Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Surgical removal of armpit lymph nodes in dogs with mammary tumors
By de Souza, Mayara Coutinho Carlo et al.·Published in Frontiers in veterinary science·2023·Department of Veterinary Clinic and Surgery, Brazil·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Comparison of surgical resection of Axillary Lymph Nodes in Dogs with Mammary Gland Tumors with or without sentinel lymph node visualization with patent blue dye.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of female dogs with mammary gland tumors underwent surgery to remove their tumors and nearby axillary lymph nodes. Some dogs received a blue dye injection to help locate the lymph nodes during surgery, while others did not. The results showed that using the dye made it easier to find and remove the lymph nodes, reducing the surgery time significantly. Overall, about one-third of the dogs had cancer spread to their lymph nodes, especially those with larger tumors or more aggressive types of cancer. This study suggests that using the dye can improve surgical outcomes for dogs with mammary tumors.
People also search for: dog mammary gland tumor surgery · axillary lymph node removal in dogs · sentinel lymph node mapping in dogs
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Dogs' axillary lymph node (ALN) is often difficult to locate before surgical resection. The anatomical location of ALN often discourages Veterinarians from surgical lymphadenectomy. Considering the limited literature available, the actual incidence of metastases and the prognostic relevance are poorly understood. METHODS: A non-randomized, prospective clinical study was conducted with female dogs ( = 41) with mammary gland tumor (MGT) in the thoracic or cranial abdominal mammary glands. The study investigated the risks of ALN metastasis based on tumors clinical findings, tumor size, histopathological diagnosis and grade. The main aim of this study was to compare ALN resection with or without patent blue 2.5% (PB) dye injection for sentinel lymph node visualization. A total of 46 mastectomies were performed and five animals underwent two mastectomies. In the first group, 17 patients underwent a mastectomy and lymphadenectomy without PB injection (G1). In contrast, in the second group, 24 patients also received PB injections for sentinel lymph node mapping (G2). The ALN was identified in 38/46 cases (82%). The ALN was identified and excised in only 58% of surgeries in G1(19/46), while in group 2, the lymph node was identified in 92% of the cases and resected in 100% of the cases. The use of PB improves ALN's identification and reduces the surgical resection time in dogs with MGT. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Surgical time differed between the two groups, as it was significantly shorter in the PB injection group compared to group 1 (80 vs. 45 min) ( < 0.0001). The overall frequency of ALN metastasis was 32%. Macroscopic abnormalities in the lymph nodes, tumor size (>3 cm), and diagnosis of anaplastic carcinoma or grade II/III mammary gland tumors were associated with a higher probability of ALN metastasis. Metastases in the ALNs are more common, in dogs presenting with tumors larger than 3 cm and diagnosed with aggressive histological subtypes. The ALNs should be removed for correct staging, prognostic evaluation, and decision for adjuvant therapy.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37252402/